Posted by squids on December 23, 2003, at 3:04:20
In reply to Re: Xanax or Ativan....thoughts please, posted by Lindsay Rae on December 22, 2003, at 22:39:12
Lindsay,
I too have the "daydreaming" type as you call it. Since I wasn't hyperactive and didn't get in trouble at school they never figured it out. I've read a LOT about ADD once I found out and apparantly the daydreaming type was only recently classified in the last few years - something like "type 2 inattentive ADD w/o hyperactivity". Supposedly more females have this type and get overlooked because they aren't being rowdy in class.
The inability to concentrate and trying to do many things at once is one indicator. I used to grab something, intending to do something with it. Then something else would get my attention or interest and I would set it down on the floor or counter, pick up something new, and never finished what I originally was going to do. My apartment looked like a disaster area because of that behavior, but I couldn't ever seem to "get it together".
I always got called lazy because I procrastinated constantly - but that's another symtom. I just couldn't sit down and pay bills, balance my checkbook, or any oher of that "normal" stuff. There's a good book on ADD called "Driven to distraction" by Edward M Hollowell. If you don't want to spend the money, just go to a bookstore and check out page 200 for the diagnostic criteria.
Yes I am actually living off disability at the moment. My parents instilled a strong work ethic in me, so I'm not really proud of it. But that's what the system is there for, to help those of us with medical problems get our lives back together. I don't at all feel like I'm taking advantage of the system - it's just not great for my self-esteem.
I don't know where you live, but here in CA you can collect state disability as long as you have a doctor to sign the forms. You can actutally collect if you are a drug addict in some type of recovery program. My doctor doesn't want me to start working until he feels I'm stable, so he has no problem continuing to sign the forms until he thinks I'm ready.
The first thing you need to do is contact your state disability or employment assistance department and get the application. Easist way to find the number probably is a web search on 'your state' and 'disabilit'. You fill out your personal info (address, ssn, etc) and then give it to a doctor to complete the medical portion and then send it back. Here there's a 7 day waiting period before you can collect. Every so often they send out a supplemental form with your check that the doctor needs to fill out and sign proving you're still disabled.
My advice would be to find a sympathetic doctor who understands that drug addiction is a disease, someone who can also wait until you get your check before he or she gets paid.
Since you are a parent too, there might be extra assistance available from the state or federal government. The trick appears to be find out what's available and whom to contact to apply.
Again, a web search seems the best place to start.I thought it would be a real pain with a lot of standing in long lines. But the process is actually pretty smooth here. You can do everything by mail or phone. I received my first check in about 2 weeks after sending in the application.
I hope that was somewhat helpful.
Best wishes for everything to work out.mike
poster:squids
thread:290969
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20031208/msgs/292657.html